Digital Marketing as Insurance Brokers: Best Practices
The cornerstone of any business is its ability to market itself to the right people. In the saturated UK insurance market, competing with the likes of Axa and Hastings Direct may be daunting, but add on smaller brokers and it feels impossible.
Whilst it’s a long, winding road, intelligent spending on digital marketing can propel your brand to the top. Let’s examine what digital marketing today looks like for the insurance industry.
What does digital marketing for insurance brokers look like?
Before going any further, having a brokerage that lends itself to a great customer experience is key. Driving traffic from Google and social media is meaningless if people click away instantly.
According to the UK Insurance Sentiment Index, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), UK-based insurers struggled with a lack of online service and inaccessible digital platforms. In other words, before throwing money at a market strategy, conduct market testing to ensure your platform meets the needs of your market.
With that in mind, let’s examine the various sectors of your digital marketing strategy.
SEO
SEO means targeting search engine rankings. Think about how many customers begin their search for insurance via Google alone. Worldwide, Google processes 8.5 billion searches daily, making this a prime traffic source.
For example, if you offer car insurance, ranking for search queries like “UK car insurance”, “car insurance UK”, and “UK car insurance quotes” would potentially bring thousands of people to your site daily.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. So, what makes up insurance broker SEO?
- Keyword research
- Incorporating phrases customers use, known as long-tail keywords
- Short-tail keywords
- On-page optimisation
- Off-page optimisation
The difficulty is there are no quick fixes, so expect this to be a long-term marketing strategy.
Content Marketing
Content is king.
Create interesting, informative content that engages and supports your target customers. For example, write a guide on the most common insurance scams or provide tips on getting the best deal.
Produce regular, high-quality content and this will benefit your marketing efforts across every platform.
Social Media
Most people are on at least one social media platform. Produce introductions to your brand, show what’s happening in the office, or showcase some of your staff. Every platform has its own approach, so don’t just copy and paste posts from one to the other.
British businesses spend £3.6 billion annually on social media, so don’t discount its value. Just ensure you’re targeting the platforms where your demographic lives. For example, if you sell short-term life insurance, Facebook will likely be more fruitful than the youth-leaning TikTok.
Email Marketing
Email, or newsletter marketing, means building your list. Gain subscribers, and you’ve got the beginnings of a personal relationship. Providing free content, such as an eBook or guide, is one of the easiest ways to get someone onto your list.
But what can insurance brokers send to their subscribers?
- Exclusive discounts
- Guides to aid in the insurance search
- How to make the most of their policies
- Saving money on insurance
- Non-insurance-related content
Paid Ads
Brokers with bigger budgets can get a head start on their marketing efforts by investing in paid ads. Your two primary options are Google’s Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads and social media ads.
Note that paid ads are a steep learning curve and will involve some trial and error. It’s time to return to traditional marketing principles, focusing on engaging graphics, eye-catching videos and persuasive copy.
Like any other business, brokers must take the time to test out different combinations until they find something that works.
Video Marketing
Technically, video marketing is a type of content marketing, but its potential means it deserves its very own section.
Why are videos so effective? One study found that videos are 1200% more successful than other types of content, making it the standout for engagement and action. In terms of a brokerage, this could resemble:
- Reflecting your agency’s services
- Showcasing staff as the “fun” side of your brand
- Client testimonials
- How your customers have claimed on their policies
- Connecting your agency to what’s happening in the world
Video marketing isn’t a silver bullet, but through deploying innovative storytelling and interesting content, you can connect on a deeper level with current and future customers.
Best practices for digital marketing in the insurance sector
Digital marketing in the insurance sector can be trickier because when most people think “excitement”, they don’t think “insurance.” But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed. It’s all about thinking outside the box to build those authentic connections and become a standout brand.
If you’re just getting started, here’s a list of insurance digital marketing best practices:
- Be active on social media. Don’t just publish salesy posts, but become active in the circles where your customers are, demonstrating that you’re helpful and engaged.
- Give your customers what they want. Examine your competitors, and if you happen upon something that’s generated a buzz, adopt it yourself.
- Invest in building up your online reviews. Reviews are currency in digital marketing circles.
- Start a referral program. Reward your customers for supporting you and bringing others to you. There’s a reason why businesses in all sectors launch these programs.
- Concentrate on local SEO. Not only does local SEO drive immense amounts of traffic, but it also offers less competition. Start with your own city and then branch out to other major cities in your keywords, such as London, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds.
- Let your content drive your brand forward. Content differentiates you from every other broker on your site, social media, and other platforms.
- Improve your digital experience. Is your website providing the best experience? What are the pain points customers are having?
- Test, test, and test again. Digital marketing is an ongoing process in an industry that never stands still. Even when you succeed, you can’t afford to let up.
Which digital marketing strategies work well for insurance brokers?
No one digital marketing strategy works for every insurance broker. It’s all about finding what works for you. However, regardless of the angle you’re planning to take in your digital marketing strategy, three areas are the primary focus:
- SEO
- Content marketing
- Social media
Why these three areas? Because it doesn’t matter who you are as an insurance broker. These three digital marketing focuses are always relevant. Generally, the best way to avoid an expensive, time-consuming trial-and-error process is to work with a marketing expert.
At Tao Digital Marketing, our marketing professionals have worked with countless insurance brokers looking to rise head and shoulders above the rest. To learn how our team can support yours in pinpointing tactics that work for your agency, contact us today.